1. Field of the Invention
The inventive concepts disclosed herein relate generally to cable connectors, and more particularly, but not by way of limitation, to a cable connector for testing installations of implantable stimulation leads implanted within a person's body.
2. Brief Description of Related Art
Advances in the medical field have made it possible for more people to have access to life-changing procedures. One of these procedures includes the installation of medical devices, such as pacemakers, within individuals to help regulate abnormal heart rhythms. These devices use electrical pulses to prompt the heart to beat at a normal rate. Medical devices such as these are normally attached by one of many various implantable stimulation electrical leads which are connected to a desired body tissue location.
These implanted leads include a conductor end in contact with the heart and a proximal end connected with the pulse generator. The proximal end typically includes one or more exposed contacts electrically connected with the distal conductor end. Proximal connectors used with most implantable stimulation leads are typically one of two types: unipolar or bipolar. Unipolar proximal connectors include a single proximal tip electrode (male connector) adapted to be inserted into an appropriate conductive annular ring or other receiving receptacle (female connector) located on or in the implantable stimulation device. Bipolar proximal connectors typically include a proximal tip electrode the same as is used in proximal unipolar connectors, and also include a proximal ring electrode, that is an annular conductive ring that is spaced-apart from the tip electrode.
Due to the seriousness and effect on the body from these types of surgeries, a need exists to verify that the installation of the implantable stimulation leads for the medical devices have been properly installed prior to the completion of a surgery to minimize the need for future, additional surgeries. The primary method currently utilized for testing the effectiveness of these installations is the use of medical device analyzers while the surgical procedure is in progress. During the surgery, the proximal end of the lead is connected to a system analyzer with a cable extending between the lead and the system analyzer. Although efforts have been made to standardize the size of proximal connectors, varying sizes and types of proximal connectors still exist, thus requiring the use of multiple cable connectors for each proximal connector which may be encountered.
To this end, a need exists for a cable connector that is adaptable for use in both unipolar and bipolar arrangements and with proximal connectors of varying sizes. It is to such a cable connector that the inventive concepts disclosed herein are directed.